Trump trial: Judge Juan Merchan scheduled the Manhattan court in the Donald Trump hush money trial to be back in session at 10 this morning after yesterday’s session that lasted until 8 at night. Lengthy closing arguments were presented by the defense and prosecution. Judge Merchan was planning to take about an hour explaining the law and giving jury instructions before jury deliberations were to begin. All 12 jurors must agree on whether Trump is guilty as charged in the 34 counts of falsifying business records in order to affect the 2016 election.
Rafah bomb: CNN reports this morning that it has analyzed video of the fire that destroyed a tent camp used by refugees in Rafah in Gaza and determined that U.S. munitions were used in the Israeli attack that resulted in the conflagration. At least 45 people were killed and another 200 injured. CNN said that the video showed the remains of a bomb supplied to the Israelis by the U.S. that is manufactured by Boeing. It also said that parts serial numbers matched those used by a parts manufacturer based in California.
Electric grid: The White House and Department of Energy have announced that 21 states have agreed to work with the federal government on a new program to improve the nation’s electric grid. More than 100,000 miles of cable will be upgraded and new transmission lines will make it possible to add nearly 20 gigawatts of electricity to the available power supplies. New York and Connecticut are among the states that will be participating in the program. Some Republican controlled states such as Texas and Florida are not participating.
Balloons: North Korea has sent more than 200 balloons loaded with garbage into South Korea’s airspace. Old bottles, used batteries and fertilizer were among the contents of the giant balloons. The North Koreans had done this before, in 2016 and 2018. Earlier this month the South Koreans sent wave of balloons into North Korea that carried leaflets attacking North Korean dictator Kim Jung Un, USB drives that could be used to connect with the free world internet and U.S dollar bills.
Oil deal: ConocoPhillips and Marathon Oil Corporation announced today that they have entered into an agreement in which ConocoPhillips will acquire Marathon Oil in an all-stock transaction valued at $22.5 billion, including $5.4 billion of debt. ConocoPhillips expects to achieve $500 million of cost and capital savings within the first full year following the closing of the transaction. The savings will come from reduced general and administrative costs, lower operating costs and improved capital efficiencies. The acquisition will add more than 2 billion barrels of oil to ConocoPhillips’ offshore oil portfolio.
Giant pandas: The Washington National Zoo announced this morning that the government of China has agreed to supply the zoo with two giant pandas by the end of the year. China forced the zoo to return the three giant pandas it had loaned to the zoo shortly after the U.S. shot down a Chinese balloon that had entered U.S. airspace. Chinese President Xi had indicated last year that they again would be sending pandas to the U.S. as a sign of friendship. The pandas that will be coming to Washington are named Bao Li and Qing Bao.
COVER PHOTO CREDIT: Two-year-old male giant panda Bao Li in his habitat at Shenshuping Base in Wolong, China, May 16. Roshan Patel, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.
